Sheet metal stock for paneling and other purposes



March 28, 1939. G. R. wlLsoN SHEET METAL STOCK FOR PANELING AND OTHER PURPOSES Filed Jan. 7, 1957 Patented Mar. 28, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SHEET METAL STOCK FOR PANELING AND OTHER PURPOSES George R. Wilson, Washington, D. C., assignor to Lumasyne, Inc., Washington, D. C., a corporation of Delaware Application January 7,

5 Claims.

This invention is directed to ornamental sheathing applicable as paneling, molding and decorative framework to building interiors, building exteriors (including store fronts and Windows) and also to articles of merchandise. The sheathing comprises sheet metal stock of special form, designed from the standpoint of structure to be appropriate to such purposes and to present a brilliant and decorative appearance.

One object of the invention is to provide metall sheathing stock having the characteristics hereafter explained which may be manufactured` on a quantity basis in sheets of any desired size, and

which can be cut and/r otherwise shaped, or

processed, without difficulty or injury to the material. The material is such that it may be readily fastened to other materials, or have other materials applied to or associated with it.

A further object of the invention is to provide sheet metal stock of ornamental character adapting the same to be used for decorative purposes, and involving -a structure having utilitarian as well as ornamental functions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide sheet metal stock which is stamped with a scientifically designed arrangement of individual small configurations which serve t0 strengthen and stiffen the material and at the same time serving an important additional function.

A further object of the invention is to provide a light reflective sheet metal sheathing suitable for ornamental and other purposes, which is rela-4 of Fig. l, indicating the configuration thereof in approximate actual scale;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section corresponding to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a face view of a further form of the invention, approximately to actual scale, wherein the elements formed in the material are of smaller size but similar in form and arrangement to those shown in Fig. 2;

1937, Serial N0. 119,506

(Cl. ,2S-180) Fig. 5 is* a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view based on Fig. 3 illustrating schematically the manner in which the inventive material reflects an incoming light beam. K

The material blank is single ply and will comprise sheet' metaLpreferably copper. It is important that the metal be sufficiently strong to be substantially self-sustaining so as to maintain its shape. In this connection it may be mentioned that extremely light gauge metal such as foils is not suitable. The metal, however, must be of suiiiciently light gauge so that it can be stamped as hereafter explained, and for the same and other reasons it is desirable to use a relatively soft metal such as a medium gauge copper. The finished material must be stiif and relatively non-flexible, and in this connection it may be pointed out that the natural stiffness of the metal employed will be considerably enhanced and good `reinforcement obtained because of the elements stamped therein.

The material will be employed as sheathing with the front face or portions thereof exposed to view, and accordingly it is proposed that the front face shall have a bright surface. In order to obtain the desired surface, the front face will be plated. Nickel may be employed but the same does not maintain its brilliancy as well as chromium,'and the latter is preferred. In plating on copper a. base plate of. nickel is first applied and then the chromium plate applied to the nickel. At any rate the bright surface and the metal blank itself should be non-corrosive and otherwise weather resisting so as to adapt the same to exposure without the necessity of any protective housing or covering, since in many instances the material is used where it will be subject to attack by weather or other influences tending to deteriorate the same. v

As above indicated, the sheet metal stock is stamped with a multiplicity of individual elements. This is generally indicated in the large sheet of material I0, Fig. 1, but may best be understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3. The sheet metal blank, here designated as Il, is processed, preferably by stamping, to provide a multiplicity of individual circular elements I2. 'I'he elements are arranged in uniform geometrical design to extend over the entire face of the blank. Since the material will be normally manufactured in stock sheets in sizes which are most economical from' the standpoint of manufacturing costs and mass production methods, it is important that the characteristics of the material in every unit area be the same. The elements I 2 are arranged very close together, in substantially edge to edge relation at the front face of the sheet so that the predominant area of the face is formed of the individual elements rather than by the adjoining flat areas of the face lying therebetween. As will be noted from Fig. 2, the elements are arranged in straight parallel rows a which extend horizontally in the drawing. The elements of adjacent rows lie in nested relation for the reason just explained. It will also be noted that the elements form diagonal parallel rows b and c which make a sixty degree angle with each other and with the rows a. It will be observed t-hat the flat areas of the face running between the rows of elements in anydirection are extremely narrow and sinuous, arid that it is impossible to find even a narrow band extending in a straight line across the face between adjacent rows. Further important purposes of this arrangement will be hereafter explained.

The form of the elements is of the utmost importance. As above stated, a circular form is employed and a curved contour is maintained throughout the surface of the elements. The elements must be far less in depth than in the case of a hemisphere both because of the tendency of the material to break out in attempting to make deep stampings and more particularly because of the dead appearance and lack of brightness of the front face of the material when the depth is of the order of half the diameter of the elements. To obtain the desired brilliancy in the face oi' the material, the elements should be relatively shallow in relation to their size. The depth should be no greater than half the radius of the elements and may be less. On the other hand, the stampings must not be so slight that the elements do not have a well defined curved cross section. While not wishing to definitely fix the minimum depth which may be employed, it now appears to me that the same should be at least nearly one-third of the radius. The illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 2 and 3 represents one form which is in actual use and has proved extremely satisfactory. Therein the elements I2 are approximately threesixteenths of an inch in radius and have a depth of about one-sixteenth of an inch. The contour of the elements approximates the arc of a circle having a radius of about one-fourth of an inch.

All of the elements are stamped rearwardly out of the plane of the front face of the blank II so as to form a multiplicity of individual concavities which constitute an integral part of the front face. As before stated, the front face will be plated and the plating will extend uniformly throughout the sheet in both the depressions and adjoining narrow areas lying therebetween. It has been found entirely practicable to first plate the metal and thereafter form the depressed elements therein.

The general arrangement shown in the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5 is similar to that of the form previously described with the exception of the fact that the depressed elements I3 are smaller. The elements I3 not only have a smaller radius but also a shallower depth so that the relative proportions of size and depth closely correspond in Figs. 3 and 5. The form of the second embodiment is preferable to the larger size elements for uses where only comparatively small areas of the metal are required.

The formation of the depressions in closely spaced relation throughout the area of the metal material serves to materially reinforce the same and gives the face of the material `a far greater brilliance than in the case of sheet metal with a smooth overall face. In the latter connection reference is made to Fig. 6. Therein the arrows I represent an incoming beam of light caused to impinge on the surface of the metal. Because of the concave formation of the elements I2, the portions of the beam impinging on each element will be reflected as a converging series of rays towards a point in front of the face of the material. As a result of the concentration of the refiected light thus produced, the intensity of reflection and the general brilliancy of the surface of the metal is greatly increased. Furthermore, by reason of the relatively small size of the elements and their close spacing, the material has an overall bright appearance, the distance between the converging reiiected beams from the individual reflectors being not so great that the material when seen .from a distance gives the impression of a series of unrelated light beams. Because of the shallowness of the elements in relation to their size, the face of the material will appear brilliant when receiving light from any source over a wide range in relation to the plane of the face. In use the material appears extremely brilliant at night as well as during the day time and is sensitive to illumination and may be seen from distances up to many hundred feet.

The completed material is of such character that it may be readily cut to any size or shape. It is entirely weather resistant so that it may be used under any conditions of exposure. After being cut to a desired size, it may be secured in place by nails, screws or other means, and does not require any particular reinforcement because of its relatively rigid character. The material will ordinarily be manufactured in large sheets such as generally represented by the blank I0 in Fig. 1. It may be supplied to the user in stock sizes and then cut to smaller form for any particular purpose intended. Since the material is merely of single ply composition, no difficulty is encountered in cutting the same, nor do any particular precautions or finishing treatments have to be resorted to to preserve the material after it is cut. Any number of different sections of the material may be secured in edge to edge relation for paneling or other purposes.

The material is extremely decorative in appearance, and besides being more attractive the same is considerably cheaper from the standpoint of manufacturing and installation costs than many other types of metal now commonly used as ornamental sheathing.

I claim:

1. Ornamental sheathing comprising stiff sheet metal stock having on one side a smooth bright front surface and stamped to form in its front surface small depressions of circular shape and curved contour and having a depth not more than half the radius, said depressions being crowded close together throughout the entire surface of the blank in substantially edge to edge relation and being sufficiently large to be readily discernible to the eye when viewed at a distance.

2. Ornamental sheathing comprising copper sheet material having a bright plated front face and stamped throughout the area of its front face with closely arranged circular depressions, said depressions being of curved contour with a depth no greater than one-quarter their diameter.

3. Ornamental sheathing having light reflecting properties and adapted to be readily cut orotherwise formed to any size or shape, and comprising stiff and durable sheet metal having a brightly finished front face, and formed throughout its front face with shallow circular depressions of a depth no greater than half their radius arranged in substantially edge to edge relation and with very narrow sinuous flat surface areas extending between the different depressions.

4. Ornamental sheathing comprising stiff, durable sheet metal having a bright front face and formedthroughout with rearwardly oifset circular elements, of shallow curved contour and of substantially greater width than depth, presenting shallow circular depressions in the bright front face, said elements being arranged throughout in uniform vclosely spaced relation and being of suillciently coarse size as to present a. readily discernible configuration in decorative relief at the front face of the sheathing.

5. Ornamental sheathing comprising sheet metal having a plated bright front face, and formed throughout with reinforcing offset elements of circular form and shallow curved crosssection. arranged throughout in uniform closely spaced relation, all of said elements projecting rearwardly from the back face of the metal and forming circular depressions in the plated front face.

GEORGE R. WILSON. 

